Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Neural Biomarkers For Assessing Different Types Of Imagery In Pictorial Health Warning Labels For Cigarette Packaging: A Cross-Sectional Study, Roger D. Newman-Norlund, Jim Thrasher, Johann Fridriksson, William Brixius, Brett Froeliger, David Hammond, Michael K. Cummings

Faculty Publications

Objective Countries around the world have increasingly adopted pictorial health warning labels (HWLs) for tobacco packages to warn consumers about smoking-related risks. Research on how pictorial HWLs work has primarily analysed self-reported responses to HWLs; studies at the neural level comparing the brain's response to different types of HWLs may provide an important complement to prior studies, especially if self-reported responses are systematically biased. In this study we characterise the brain's response to three types of pictorial HWLs for which prior self-report studies indicated different levels of efficacy.

Methods Current smokers rated pictorial HWLs and then observed the same HWLs …

Awareness, Trial, And Use Of Electronic Cigarettes Among 10 Countries: Findings From The Itc Project, Shannon Gravely, Geoffrey T. Fong, K. Michael Cummings, Mi Yan, Anne C. K. Quah, Ron Borland, Hua-Hie Yong, Sara C. Hitchman, Ann Mcneill, David Hammond, James F. Thrasher, Marc C. Willemsen, Hong Gwan Seo, Yuan Jiang, Tania Cavalcante, Cristina Perez, Maizurah Omar, Karin Hummel

Faculty Publications

Background: In recent years, electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) have generated considerable interest and debate on the implications for tobacco control and public health. Although the rapid growth of e-cigarettes is global, at present, little is known about awareness and use. This paper presents self-reported awareness, trial and current use of e-cigarettes in 10 countries surveyed between 2009 and 2013; for six of these countries, we present the first data on e-cigarettes from probability samples of adult smokers. Methods: A cross-sectional analysis of probability samples of adult (≥ 18 years) current and former smokers participating in the International Tobacco Control (ITC) surveys …

Beyond Sustainability: A New Conceptual Model, Molly Kerby, Gayle Mallinger

Faculty Publications

Over the last few decades, the notion of sustainability has become an interdisciplinary buzz word. Sustainability has been an integrative concept that includes three constructs or pillars: a) social; b) economic; and c) ecological. Until recently, theoretical approaches based on the three pillars approach have operated in silos rather than exploring the interconnectedness of the constructs. Few models have moved beyond the idea that logical relations exist among the constructs (social, economic, and ecological) to consider factors external to communities, nor have they examined the internal socio-economic factors that influence positive outcomes. While this conceptualization has raised awareness about the …

Psychological Fears Among Low-Paid Female Sex Workers In Southwest China And Their Implications For Hiv Prevention, Shan Qiao Ph.D., Xiaoming Li Ph.D., Chen Zhang, Yuejiao Zhou, Zhiyong Shen, Zhenzhu Tang, Bonita Stanton

Faculty Publications

Commercial sex plays a critical role in rapidly increasing heterosexual transmission of HIV in China. Low-paid female sex workers (FSWs) are especially vulnerable to HIV/AIDS. Because of the illegality and stigma associated with sex work, FSWs may constantly live with fears in their daily life. Based on cross-sectional study of 794 low-paid FSWs in China we described their psychological fears related to commercial sex and examined the associations between fears and HIV-related behaviors. Fear of HIV infection was significantly associated with consistent use of condoms with clients. However, fear of breaching sex worker identity significantly prevented the FSWs from consistently …

Toxicity Of Engineered Nanomaterials And Their Transformation Products Following Wastewater Treatment On A549 Human Lung Epithelial Cells, Yanjun Ma, Subbiah Elankumaran, Linsey C. Marr, Eric P. Vejerano, Amy Pruden

Faculty Publications

Here we characterize the toxicity of environmentally-relevant forms of engineered nanomaterials (ENMs), which can transform during wastewater treatment and persist in aqueous effluents and biosolids. In an aerosol exposure scenario, cytotoxicity and genotoxicity of effluents and biosolids from lab-scale sequencing batch reactors (SBRs) to A549 human lung epithelial cells were examined. The SBRs were dosed with nanoAg, nano zero-valent iron (NZVI), nanoTiO2 and nanoCeO2 at sequentially increasing concentrations from 0.1 to 20 mg/L. Toxicities were compared to outputs from SBRs dosed with ionic/bulk analogs, undosed SBRs, and pristine ENMs. Pristine nanoAg and NZVI showed significant cytotoxicity to A549 cells in …

Predictors Of Healthcare Professionals’ Attitudes Towards Family Involvement In Safety-Relevant Behaviours: A Cross-Sectional Factorial Survey Study, Rachel Davis, M Savvopoulou, R Shergill, S Shergill, D Schwappach

Faculty Publications

OBJECTIVES: To investigate predictors of healthcare professionals' (HCPs) attitudes towards family involvement in safety-relevant behaviours. DESIGN: A cross-sectional fractional factorial survey that assessed HCPs' attitudes towards family involvement in two error scenarios relating to hand hygiene and medication safety. Each survey comprised two randomised vignettes that described the potential error, how the family member communicated with the HCP about the error and how the HCP responded to the family member's question. SETTING: 5 teaching hospitals in London, the Midlands and York. HCPs were approached on a range of medical and surgical wards. PARTICIPANTS: 160 HCPs (73 doctors; 87 nurses) aged …

A Qualitative Examination About Providers’ Perceptions And Recommendations Regarding The Role Of Public Librarians In Addressing Communities’ Health Literacy., Van Ta Park, Lili Luo, Denise Rosidi

Faculty Publications

We assessed health care providers’ perspectives on libraries as a source of health information and elicited input on how to adequately prepare public librarians to provide health information services. Sample text-based reference transactions were shown to determine whether they think the health inquiries were adequately answered. Results showed that participants had favorable perspectives about public libraries, and thought that the public librarians’ role includes addressing the health literacy community needs. Participants provided recommendations for public librarians to improve health literacy. To enhance the ability of public librarians to meet the health literacy needs of their communities, diverse perspectives such as …

Three-Year Change In The Wellbeing Of Orphaned And Separated Children In Institutional And Family-Based Care Settings In Five Low- And Middle-Income Countries, Kathryn Whetten, Jan Ostermann, Brian W. Pence, Rachel A. Whetten, Lynne C. Messer, Sumedha Ariely, Karen O'Donnell, Augustine I. Wasonga, Vanroth Vann, Dafrosa Itemba, Misganaw Eticha, Ira Madan, Nathan M. Thielman, The Positive Outcomes For Orphans (Pofo) Research Team

Faculty Publications

Background With more than 2 million children living in group homes, or “institutions”, worldwide, the extent to which institution-based caregiving negatively affects development and wellbeing is a central question for international policymakers.

Methods A two-stage random sampling methodology identified community representative samples of 1,357 institution-dwelling orphaned and separated children (OSC) and 1,480 family-dwelling OSC aged 6–12 from 5 low and middle income countries. Data were collected from children and their primary caregivers. Survey-analytic techniques and linear mixed effects models describe child wellbeing collected at baseline and at 36 months, including physical and emotional health, growth, cognitive development and memory, and …

Global Burden Of Disease Study 2010: Interpretation And Implications For The Neglected Tropical Diseases, Peter J. Hotez, Miriam Alvarado, Maria Gloria Basanez, Ian Bolliger, Et Al.

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Weekly And Holiday-Related Patterns Of Panic Attacks In Panic Disorder: A Population-Based Study, Li-Ting Kao, Sudha Xirasagar, Kuo-Hsuan Chung, Herng-Ching Lin, Shih-Ping Liu, Shiu-Dong Chung

Faculty Publications

Background: While chronobiological studies have reported seasonal variation in panic attacks (PA) episodes, information on the timing of PA by week-days may enable better understanding of the triggers of PA episodes and thereby provide pointers for suitable interventional approaches to minimize PA attacks. This study investigated weekly variation in potential PA admissions including associations with holidays using a population-based longitudinal, administrative claims-based dataset in an Asian population.

Methods: This study used ambulatory care data from the ‘‘Longitudinal Health Insurance Database 2000. We identified 993 patients with panic disorder (PD), and they had 4228 emergency room (ER) admissions for potential PA …

Liberty Without Capacity: Why States Should Ban Adolescent Driving, Vivian E. Hamilton

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Reducing Colorectal Cancer Incidence And Disparities: Performance And Outcomes Of A Screening Colonoscopy Program In South Carolina, Sudha Xirasagar, Yi-Jhen Li, James B. Burch, Virginie G. Daguisé, Thomas G. Hurley, James R. Hébert

Faculty Publications

This study evaluated the efficiency, effectiveness, and racial disparities reduction potential of Screening Colonoscopies for People Everywhere in South Carolina (SCOPE SC), a state-funded program for indigent persons aged 50–64 years (45–64 years for African American (AA)) with a medical home in community health centers. Patients were referred to existing referral network providers, and the centers were compensated for patient navigation. Data on procedures and patient demographics were analyzed. Of 782 individuals recruited (71.2% AA), 85% (665) completed the procedure (71.1% AA). The adenoma detection rate was 27.8% (males 34.6% and females 25.1%), advanced neoplasm rate 7.7% (including 3 cancers), …

Conflict Translates Environmental And Social Risk Into Business Costs, Daniel M. Franks, Rachel Davis, Anthony J. Bebbington, Saleem H. Ali, Deanna Kemp, Martin Scurrah

Faculty Publications

Sustainability science has grown as a field of inquiry, but has said little about the role of large-scale private sector actors in socio-ecological systems change. However, the shaping of global trends and transitions depends greatly on the private sector and its development impact. Market-based and command-and-control policy instruments have, along with corporate citizenship, been the predominant means for bringing sustainable development priorities into private sector decision-making. This research identifies conflict as a further means through which environmental and social risks are translated into business costs and decision making. Through in-depth interviews with finance, legal, and sustainability professionals in the extractive …

Characterization Of Particle Emissions And Fate Of Nanomaterials During Incineration, Eric P. Vejerano, Elena C. Leon, Amara L. Holder, Linsey C. Marr

Faculty Publications

As the use of nanotechnology in consumer products continues to grow, it is inevitable that some nanomaterials will end up in the waste stream and will be incinerated. Through laboratory-scale incineration of paper and plastic wastes containing nanomaterials, we assessed their effect on emissions of particulate matter (PM) and the effect of incineration on the nanomaterials themselves. The presence of nanomaterials did not significantly influence the particle number emission factor. The PM size distribution was not affected except at very high mass loadings (10 wt%) of the nanomaterial, in which case the PM shifted toward smaller sizes; such loadings are …

Feasibility And Acceptability Of An Early Childhood Obesity Prevention Intervention: Results From The Healthy Homes, Healthy Families Pilot Study, Akilah Dulin Keita, Patricia M. Risica, Kelli L. Drenner, Ingrid Adams, Gemma Gorham, Kim M. Gans

Faculty Publications

Background. This study examined the feasibility and acceptability of a home-based early childhood obesity prevention intervention designed to empower low-income racially/ethnically diverse parents to modify their children’s health behaviors. Methods. We used a prospective design with pre-/posttest evaluation of 50 parent-child pairs (children aged 2 to 5 years) to examine potential changes in dietary, physical activity, and sedentary behaviors among children at baseline and four-month follow-up. Results. 39 (78%) parent-child pairs completed evaluation data at 4-month follow-up. Vegetable intake among children significantly increased at follow-up (0.54 cups at 4 months compared to 0.28 cups at baseline, 𝑃 …

State Responses To Alcohol Use And Pregnancy: Findings From The Alcohol Policy Information System, Laurie Drabble, Sue Thomas, Lisa O'Connor, Sarah Roberts

Faculty Publications

This article describes U.S. state policies related to alcohol use during pregnancy, using data from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism Alcohol Policy Information System. Specifically, this study examines trends in policies enacted by states over time and types of policies enacted across states in the United States, with a focus on whether laws were supportive or punitive toward women. Findings revealed substantial variability in characteristics of policies (19 primarily supportive, 12 primarily punitive, 12 with a mixed approach, and 8 with no policies). Findings underscore the need to examine possible consequences of policies, especially of punitive policies …

Strategies Employed By Inner-City Activists To Reduce Alcohol-Related Problems And Advance Social Justice, Laurie Drabble, Denise Herd

Faculty Publications

This study explored strategies employed by activists engaged in efforts to change policies and laws related to selling and promoting alcoholic beverages based on in-depth interviews with 184 social activists in seven U.S. major cities. Nine strategies aimed at improving local conditions and influencing policy were described by activists across regional contexts. Grassroots mobilization was central to all other strategies, which included the creation or enforcement of laws, meeting with elected officials, media advocacy, working with police/law enforcement, education and training, direct action, changing community norms, and negotiating with store owners.

Text 4 Health: Addressing Consumer Health Information Needs Via Text Reference Service, Van M. Ta Park

Faculty Publications

This study seeks to provide empirical evidence about how health-related questions are answered in text reference service in order to further the understanding of how to best use texting as a reference service venue to fulfill people’s health information needs. Two hundred health reference transactions from My Info Quest, the first nation-wide collaborative text reference service, were analyzed identify the types of questions, length of transactions, question-answering behavior, and information sources used in the transactions. Findings indicate that texting-based health reference transactions are usually brief, and cover a wide variety of topics. The most popular questions are those seeking general …

Indian Parents Prefer Vaccinating Their Daughters Against Hpv At Older Ages, Purnima Madhivanan, Vijaya Srinivas, Laura Marlow, Soumyadeep Mukherjee, Doddaiah Narayanappa, Shekar Mysore, Anjali Arun, Karl Krupp

Faculty Publications

Increasing uptake of human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine should be a priority in developing countries since they suffer 88% of the world’s cervical cancer burden. In many countries studies show that age at vaccination is an important determinate of parental acceptability. This study explores parental preferences on age-to-vaccinate for adolescent school-going girls.

Impaired Fasting Glucose Level And Diabetes In Kaoma And Kasama Rural Districts Of Zambia: Prevalence And Correlates In 2008-2009 Population Based Surveys, Olesegun A. Babaniyi, Peter Songolo, Emmanuel Rudatsikira, Adamson S. Muula, David Mulenga, Mazyanga L. Mazaba-Liwewe, Idah Ndumba, Freddie Masaninga, Seter Siziya

Faculty Publications

Background: Impaired fasting glucose level has been associated with increased incidence of Type 2 Diabetes mellitus, and diabetes is becoming a major public health problem in developing countries. The objective of the study was to determine the prevalence and correlates for impaired fasting glucose level/diabetes in Kaoma and Kasama rural districts of Zambia. Methods and Findings: A cross sectional study using modified World Health Organization (WHO) global non communicable diseases (NCD) surveillance initiative NCD STEPwise approach was used in the study. Proportions were compared using the Yates’ corrected Chi-square test, and a result yielding a p value of less than …